Changes

Mexico declared independence in 1821. Mexico's policies worsened relations with the Native Americans, and again caused the resurgence in raids upon Spanish and Pueblo towns. This was the beginning of the Wild West, which lasted through the Mexican and American territorial phases, New Mexico was a major part of the Wild West supplying major Western icons such as the cowboy, the Sheriff, [[Billy the Kid]], old Spanish town squares, and the settings of deserts, prairies, and mountains. Troubles from the neighbors to the east also became an issue, [[Texas]] declared its own Independence from Mexico, and attempted to annex everything east of the Rio Grande. All the while, Mexico was taking land from the original settlers of New Mexico as well as American land-grantees.

Mexico declared independence in 1821. Mexico's policies worsened relations with the Native Americans, and again caused the resurgence in raids upon Spanish and Pueblo towns. This was the beginning of the Wild West, which lasted through the Mexican and American territorial phases, New Mexico was a major part of the Wild West supplying major Western icons such as the cowboy, the Sheriff, [[Billy the Kid]], old Spanish town squares, and the settings of deserts, prairies, and mountains. Troubles from the neighbors to the east also became an issue, [[Texas]] declared its own Independence from Mexico, and attempted to annex everything east of the Rio Grande. All the while, Mexico was taking land from the original settlers of New Mexico as well as American land-grantees.

====American territory (1848)====

====American territory (1848)====

The Mexican-American war resulted in New Mexico becoming an American territory, mostly due to the promise of the American government again repairing relations with the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche. U.S. Presidents [[Zachary Taylor]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]] both called for the immediate statehood of New Mexico, in order to side-step the impending [[Civil War]], since New Mexico's law had already prohibited slavery since the Pueblo Revolt. Unfortunately, statehood did not come to New Mexico until 1912. The New Mexico Campaign during the Civil War was an important battlefield, the Confederacy attempted to capture Albuquerque but was only temporarily successful. This instead bolstered the American soldiers, consisting mostly of descendants of New Mexican Spanish and Pueblo, to chase the Texan Confederate soldiers to the largest Civil War battle in the American West at Glorieta Pass.

The Mexican–American War resulted in New Mexico becoming an American territory, mostly due to the promise of the American government again repairing relations with the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche. U.S. Presidents [[Zachary Taylor]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]] both called for the immediate statehood of New Mexico, in order to side-step the impending [[Civil War]], since New Mexico's law had already prohibited slavery since the Pueblo Revolt. Unfortunately, statehood did not come to New Mexico until 1912. The New Mexico Campaign during the Civil War was an important battlefield, the Confederacy attempted to capture Albuquerque but was only temporarily successful. This instead bolstered the American soldiers, consisting mostly of descendants of New Mexican Spanish and Pueblo, to chase the Texan Confederate soldiers to the largest Civil War battle in the American West at Glorieta Pass.

===The State of New Mexico (1912)===

===The State of New Mexico (1912)===

New Mexico became the 47th State of the Union in 1912. The Daughters of the American Revolution pushed for a State flag in 1920, and that call was answered in 1925 by Dr. Harry P. Mera. The flag consists of the Zia Pueblo sun symbol in Spanish red on a field of Spanish yellow, this design has won the North American Vexillological Association's best flag design for U.S. states, territories, or Canadian provinces numerous times.

New Mexico became the 47th State of the Union in 1912. The Daughters of the American Revolution pushed for a State flag in 1920, and that call was answered in 1925 by Dr. Harry P. Mera. The flag consists of the Zia Pueblo sun symbol in Spanish red on a field of Spanish yellow, this design has won the North American Vexillological Association's best flag design for U.S. states, territories, or Canadian provinces numerous times.

== Language ==

== Language ==

New Mexico is often falsely assumed to be a bilingual state, however, it is officially known as an English Plus state. [[American English]] is considered the de-facto language, with [[New Mexican English]] being the dominant dialect. Citizens are encouraged to be multi-lingual, and/or to interact and familiarize themselves with other languages. According to the "English Plus Declaration" the reasoning was for the "economic and cultural benefit of our state and the nation." It could also be surmised that is was also for the preservation of [[New Mexican Spanish]] and the Native American languages of Jemez, Jicarilla, Keresan, Mescalero-Chiricahua, Navajo, Picuris, Southern, Tiwa, Taos, Tewa, and Zuni; as the resolution was urged by the New Mexico State Task Force on Modern and Classical Languages.

New Mexico is often falsely assumed to be a bilingual state, however, it is officially known as an English Plus state. [[American English]] is considered the de facto language, with [[New Mexican English]] being the dominant dialect. Citizens are encouraged to be multi-lingual, and/or to interact and familiarize themselves with other languages. According to the "English Plus Declaration" the reasoning was for the "economic and cultural benefit of our state and the nation." It could also be surmised that is was also for the preservation of [[New Mexican Spanish]] and the Native American languages of Jemez, Jicarilla, Keresan, Mescalero-Chiricahua, Navajo, Picuris, Southern, Tiwa, Taos, Tewa, and Zuni; as the resolution was urged by the New Mexico State Task Force on Modern and Classical Languages.

There was initially a movement to push for the state declaration of English as the official language of the state. This, instead, produced a counter-trend based on the "position of English in the United States needs no official legislation to support it." The state also recognized "the national interest since it promotes the concept that all members of our society have full access to opportunities to effectively learn English plus develop proficiency in a second or multiple languages." This decision proved beneficial to the United States during World War II, as the Navajo Code Talkers, by simply speaking Navajo, created the most effective code of the war which saved numerous allied troops.

There was initially a movement to push for the state declaration of English as the official language of the state. This, instead, produced a counter-trend based on the "position of English in the United States needs no official legislation to support it." The state also recognized "the national interest since it promotes the concept that all members of our society have full access to opportunities to effectively learn English plus develop proficiency in a second or multiple languages." This decision proved beneficial to the United States during World War II, as the Navajo Code Talkers, by simply speaking Navajo, created the most effective code of the war which saved numerous allied troops.

== Geography ==

== Geography ==

The land was most prominently featured in Wild West films; [[desert]]s, [[prairie]]s, [[forest]], and several [[mountain]]ous regions, being at the southern-most end of the [[Rocky Mountains]] including the [[Sangre de Cristo]] mountain range, the [[Jemez Mountains]],<ref>http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/jemez_mountains/</ref> and the Sandia Mountains. One of the most prominent rivers west of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]], the [[Rio Grande]], runs through the center of the State from north to south.

The land was most prominently featured in Wild West films; [[desert]]s, [[prairie]]s, [[forest]], and several [[mountain]]ous regions, being at the southernmost end of the [[Rocky Mountains]] including the [[Sangre de Cristo]] mountain range, the [[Jemez Mountains]],<ref>http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/jemez_mountains/</ref> and the Sandia Mountains. One of the most prominent rivers west of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]], the [[Rio Grande]], runs through the center of the State from north to south.

The highest point in New Mexico is [[Wheeler Peak]] at 13,161 feet above sea level, and the lowest point is at [[Red Bluff Reservoir]], 2,842 feet above sea level.<ref>http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/nm_geography.htm</ref>

The highest point in New Mexico is [[Wheeler Peak]] at 13,161 feet above sea level, and the lowest point is at [[Red Bluff Reservoir]], 2,842 feet above sea level.<ref>http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/nm_geography.htm</ref>

Agriculture is important to New Mexico, but the lack of irrigation hinders using much of the land for farming. Much of the land is used for [[ranching|grazing]] [[livestock]], especially [[sheep]]. More than two-thirds of New Mexico's farm income comes from livestock products. Including dairy, honey, and meat; New Mexico's desert honey is offers a unique flavor profile, and in Tucumcari there is a cheese factory that specializes in New Mexican artisan cheeses.

Agriculture is important to New Mexico, but the lack of irrigation hinders using much of the land for farming. Much of the land is used for [[ranching|grazing]] [[livestock]], especially [[sheep]]. More than two-thirds of New Mexico's farm income comes from livestock products. Including dairy, honey, and meat; New Mexico's desert honey is offers a unique flavor profile, and in Tucumcari there is a cheese factory that specializes in New Mexican artisan cheeses.

Much of the farmed land is located around the three major rivers which flow through the state: the [[Rio Grande]], [[Pecos River]], and [[San Juan River]]. Most of the cash crops grown in New Mexico are grown in The Mesilla Valley, on the Rio Grande, around the town of [[Hatch, New Mexico|Hatch]], which is well-known for its peppers, particularly the New Mexico [[Chile (Capsicum)|chile pepper]] which has numerous varieties, such as Big Jim, Joe E. Parker, and Roy Naky; other places grow their own varieties of said chile pepper such as the Albuquerque metropolitan area in Corrales down south into Isleta, and each of the Pueblos and old Spanish towns have their own varieties of the chile as well.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugoCk5fv2zg</ref> Other crops grown in the State include; beans (pinto, black, anasazi, mitla, garpanzo, fava, etc), pecans, squash, melons, watermelons, pistachios, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, sunflowers, peanuts, and pistachios.<ref>http://www.dreamingnewmexico.org/food/ff-crops/50-crops</ref> New Mexico has the oldest wine growing market in the country, as monks were growing wine grapes as early as the 1500s.

Much of the farmed land is located around the three major rivers which flow through the state: the [[Rio Grande]], [[Pecos River]], and [[San Juan River]]. Most of the cash crops grown in New Mexico are grown in The Mesilla Valley, on the Rio Grande, around the town of [[Hatch, New Mexico|Hatch]], which is well known for its peppers, particularly the New Mexico [[Chile (Capsicum)|chile pepper]] which has numerous varieties, such as Big Jim, Joe E. Parker, and Roy Naky; other places grow their own varieties of said chile pepper such as the Albuquerque metropolitan area in Corrales down south into Isleta, and each of the Pueblos and old Spanish towns have their own varieties of the chile as well.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugoCk5fv2zg</ref> Other crops grown in the State include; beans (pinto, black, anasazi, mitla, garpanzo, fava, etc.), pecans, squash, melons, watermelons, pistachios, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, sunflowers, peanuts, and pistachios.<ref>http://www.dreamingnewmexico.org/food/ff-crops/50-crops</ref> New Mexico has the oldest wine growing market in the country, as monks were growing wine grapes as early as the 1500s.

Another large industry in the state is mining, particularly [[copper]], [[silver]], and [[uranium]].<ref>http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108250.html</ref>

Another large industry in the state is mining, particularly [[copper]], [[silver]], and [[uranium]].<ref>http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108250.html</ref>